Jennifer Connelly Talks Bold Brows, Balenciaga, and Going Blonde

No one would accuse Jennifer Connelly of ping-ponging from trend to trend. You won't see her with rainbow hair streaks or funky nail art, but she still manages to look fresh and interesting. Quite a feat. The star just signed as Shiseido's new spokeswoman, and to celebrate, we got her take on beauty—her favorite products, best red-carpet looks, and the history of her signature bold brows.

Let's talk brows. We love yours. "Thank you! Years ago—in my early 20s—I never did anything. I was frightened by my Aunt Rachel. She told me to never tweeze my brows and always lamented that she overtweezed and had to pencil hers in. Makeup artists always tried to convince me to let them shape them, but I stuck to my guns. Then during* A Beautiful Mind*—it was a very specific period look—the makeup artist made a very convincing argument that I should have defined brows, so she tweezed them. They were still heavy but very manicured. Since then, I maintain them myself by plucking a few stray hairs. I don't let anyone else tweeze them. I think of them like hair—once you do too many processes, the hair doesn't grow back the same. Strong brows is what I have and I embrace them."

What has been your favorite red-carpet look? "Do I have to pick one? That's hard! I like different things for different reasons—some are more avant-garde, others are pretty and classic. Nicolas [Ghesquiere] for Balenciaga has designed some great dresses that I've really loved. Fashion Group International sent one to Nicolas—it was very graphic and asymmetrical with a white vest piece, and I wore my hair and makeup clean and natural. I loved my first Met Ball dress in 2005—it was sort of a feathered affair. I once wore a Givenchy dress in Japan, and we did elaborate hair that was all twisted. And I loved this Viktor and Rolf red dress—it was simple and relatable. All of my favorites are bold in one way or another."

Do you consider your hair and makeup when deciding on a dress to wear to an event? "I usually start with the dress. Then deciding on the hair and makeup is a collaborative process. I'll see something that I find inspiring, like a lip color from a runway collection, for example, and I'll speak with hair and makeup. I think hair and makeup can really complement or fight a dress, so I'd say that I'm definitely not passive when it comes to my opinion. I most often have thoughts, and we work it out together."

What's the craziest beauty change you've made for a role? "Dying my hair blonde for Virginia—Marie Robinson did it and it took about a week to complete the transformation. I didn't realize it'd be such a long process. I actually really liked it. It felt like the character. I thought about keeping it but because my hair's so dark, it would have been impractical and too much to maintain. But I did enjoy it—I found the color addictive. As a blonde, I kept getting impulses to make it lighter. I'd be sitting in the makeup bus talking to Morgan, my hairdresser, and be like, 'Let's make it a little lighter around my face.' It was dangerous."

What are your most beloved beauty products? "Time is limited, so if I'm going to devote a certain amount of time to my appearance, I prioritize by enduring benefits. So if I have 40 minutes, I'd rather go for a 20 minute jog and then take care of my skin, which is a really good investment of time. Then whatever time I have left over, I'll put on lip color and concealer and throw my hair in a ponytail. It's a trade-off. I use Shiseido Future Solution LX skin care. I love Rosebud Salve lip balm, and I like different lip products on different days. I like really pigmented lipstick and sheer gloss, and sometimes I like just a lip pencil and lip balm. I love [Shiseido] Lacquer Rouge because it's a cross between lipstick and gloss. I like it in Drama, a deep red, and I like Nymph because it's like my natural lip color but a little stronger."

What's the best beauty advice you've ever received? "It's not original, but wear sunscreen. It's really true. I like the Shiseido Urban Environment one because it's sheer and lightweight."